Published Oct 16, 2014
Slaq
1 Post
I am one of the "lucky ones" to get a job right after passing my boards. I was so excited to get a job on a medical-surgical Tele floor. I have been on orientation for 2 months now and I absolutely hate it. The amount of responsibility and pressure is killing me. I've never had anxiety but I find myself thinking about work 24/7, waking up in the middle of the night thinking about things I missed or forgot to do. I am miserable and it's starting to affect my personal life. I feel like if I were to quit before even being off orientation it would look bad on a resume and lose a valuable reference. I just don't know if it's the floor enviornment. I was an aide for 2 years at a different hospital and never felt uncomfortable like this, or in nursing school. Nursing is all I've ever wanted to do and now I feel like it's ruining my life. I need some support and advice to keep moving forward.
RN403, BSN, RN
1 Article; 1,068 Posts
Being a new grad is stressful, trust me, I know, as I am a very new nurse myself. There are many threads on this topic that I think you might find helpful. The first year of being a nurse is very stressful with a lot of ups and downs. A lot of people have felt what you are feeling and have recommended to keep pushing forward through the first year.
I hope you find comfort in knowing that you are NOT alone in your feelings. Best wishes.
LadyFree28, BSN, LPN, RN
8,429 Posts
Being a new grad is stressful, trust me, I know, as I am a very new nurse myself. There are many threads on this topic that I think you might find helpful. The first year of being a nurse is very stressful with a lot of ups and downs. A lot of people have felt what you are feeling and have recommended to keep pushing forward through the first year. I hope you find comfort in knowing that you are NOT alone in your feelings. Best wishes.
THIS.
Also, learn to get organized; having a good brain sheet will help ease the anxiety, as well as keep you focused-you can search here on AN for a "brain sheet".
Also, remember that nursing is a 24-hour job and things will be done regardless; learn how to leave work at work; what we do is a TON of responsibility, but that's why there are nurses hat relieve you, as well as supervisors and doctors; you are not in it alone.
scaredsilly, BSN, RN
1,161 Posts
What the other two nurses is exactly right. I am a new grad as well, and feel everything you described and then some. Organize a support group with another new grads at your facility, or with classmates that are also working as new grads. It is amazing how much that helps! That's what I did and it saved my life...if I get to feeling incompetant, overworked, worried I missed something vital...a quick call to one of the people in my support group to vent and hear she had the exact same feelings just yesterday make everything seem so much better!!